Stabilizers for cyanine IR dyes in donor element for laser-induced thermal dye transfer

Abstract

This invention relates to a dye donor element for laser-induced thermal dye transfer comprising a support having thereon a dye layer comprising an image dye in a polymeric binder and a cyanine infrared absorbing dye associated therewith, and wherein said layer also has a nitrosonaphthol ferrous complex associated therewith.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a dye donor element for laser-induced thermal dye transfer comprising a support having thereon a dye layer comprising an image dye in a polymeric binder and an cyanine infrared absorbing dye associated therewith, the improvement wherein said layer also has a nitrosonaphthol ferrous complex associated therewith. 
     
     
       2. The element of claim 1 wherein said cyanine infrared absorbing dye and said nitrosonaphthol ferrous complex are in said dye layer. 
     
     
       3. The element of claim 1 wherein said nitrosonaphthol ferrous complex has the following formula: ##STR7## wherein: X and Y each independently represents hydrogen or the atoms necessary to complete a fused, substituted or unsubstituted aromatic ring, with the proviso that both X or Y cannot be hydrogen at the same time, and with the further proviso that when Y is an aromatic ring, then X can be hydrogen, acetamido, alkyl or alkoxy of 1-4 carbon atoms, nitro, sulfo or halogen; and A represents a cation.   
     
     
       4. The element of claim 3 wherein A represents tetraalkyl ammonium, Y represents the atoms necessary to provide a fused naphthol ring, and X represents methoxy or acetamido. 
     
     
       5. The element of claim 3 wherein A represents tetraalkyl ammonium, and either X or Y represents the atoms necessary to provide a fused naphthol ring. 
     
     
       6. The element of claim 1 wherein said nitrosonaphthol ferrous complex is the counter ion for said cyanine dye. 
     
     
       7. In a process of forming a laser-induced thermal dye transfer image comprising: a) contacting at least one dye-donor element comprising a support having thereon a dye layer comprising an image dye in a polymeric binder having a cyanine infrared absorbing dye associated therewith, with a dye-receiving element comprising a support having thereon a polymeric dye image-receiving layer;   b) imagewise-heating said dye donor element by means of a laser; and   c) transferring a dye image to said dye-receiving element to form said laser-induced thermal dye transfer image, the improvement wherein said dye layer also has a nitrosonaphthol ferrous complex associated therewith.     
     
     
       8. The process of claim 7 wherein said cyanine infrared absorbing dye and said nitrosonaphthol ferrous complex are in said dye layer. 
     
     
       9. The process of claim 7 wherein said nitrosonaphthol ferrous complex has the following formula: ##STR8## wherein: X and Y each independently represents hydrogen or the atoms necessary to complete a fused, substituted or unsubstituted aromatic ring, with the proviso that both X or Y cannot be hydrogen at the same time, and with the further proviso that when Y is an aromatic ring, then X can be hydrogen, acetamido, alkyl or alkoxy of 1-4 carbon atoms, nitro, sulfo or halogen; and A represents a cation.   
     
     
       10. The process of claim 9 wherein A represents tetraalkyl ammonium, Y represents the atoms necessary to provide a fused naphthol ring, and X represents methoxy or acetamido. 
     
     
       11. The process of claim 9 wherein A represents tetraalkyl ammonium, and either X or Y represents the atoms necessary to provide a fused naphthol ring. 
     
     
       12. The process of claim 7 wherein said nitrosonaphthol ferrous complex is the counter ion for said cyanine dye. 
     
     
       13. In a thermal dye transfer assemblage comprising: (a) a dye donor element comprising a support having thereon a dye layer comprising an image dye dispersed in a polymeric binder having a cyanine infrared absorbing dye associated therewith, and   (b) a dye-receiving element comprising a support having thereon a dye image-receiving layer, said dye-receiving element being in superposed relationship with said dye-donor element so that said dye layer is in contact with said dye image-receiving layer, the improvement wherein said dye layer also has a nitrosonaphthol ferrous complex associated therewith.   
     
     
       14. The assemblage of claim 13 wherein said cyanine infrared absorbing dye and said nitrosonaphthol ferrous complex are in said dye layer. 
     
     
       15. The assemblage of claim 13 wherein said nitrosonaphthol ferrous complex has the following formula: ##STR9## wherein: X and Y each independently represents hydrogen or the atoms necessary to complete a fused, substituted or unsubstituted aromatic ring, with the proviso that both X or Y cannot be hydrogen at the same time, and with the further proviso that when Y is an aromatic ring, then X can be hydrogen, acetamido, alkyl or alkoxy of 1-4 carbon atoms, nitro, sulfo or halogen; and A represents a cation.   
     
     
       16. The assemblage of claim 15 wherein A represents tetraalkyl ammonium, Y represents the atoms necessary to provide a fused naphthol ring, and X represents methoxy or acetamido. 
     
     
       17. The assemblage of claim 15 wherein A represents tetraalkyl ammonium, and either X or Y represents the atoms necessary to provide a fused naphthol ring. 
     
     
       18. The assemblage of claim 13 wherein said nitrosonaphthol ferrous complex is the counter ion for said cyanine dye.